Rehabbing some lines and fixing known leaky services is topping the near future project list at the Boothbay Harbor Sewer District.

District Superintendent Chris Higgins is meeting with Wright Pierce Civil Engineering Services of Portland to discuss the available options utilized. This is particularly important because many of the lines requiring attention are on private property.

"We are going to have to do some number crunching to see what that impact will be on the district's costs," said Higgins. "It may be less costly for us to go in and do the work ourselves."

Higgins said that technically, leaky services are the homeowner's responsibility, but it might behoove the district, while they are checking out lines, to complete the work. Doing the work may prove less costly overall than the cost being incurred by the impact of the leaky services on the facility.

Higgins said each service on Atlantic Avenue would have to be inspected. The video work completed in spring of 2006 revealed where clean water is running into the service.

"What we will have to do is access their homes and put a camera through the clean out or do a pressure test to see if it is leaking," Higgins said. "I would prefer to have a visual so we can actually see what is going on as a first step."

Pressure testing would then be the second step for those homes that reveal problems. This is an involved process requiring digging two holes.

"We don't have permission to do anything now - we will be discussing strategies, educating folks on what is going on … I don't expect anything will happen until next year," Higgins said.

Higgins has been considering creating a stakeholders group to get the neighborhood involved in the process.

Since the video work was completed, the district has completed major repairs/breaks that were on the Meadow, one in the mouth of Route 96 and Conley's driveway, a leak on Bay Street - this in conjunction with a leaking hydrant, Giles Place - an interceptor was offset by six inches. The district plans to address an issue at the Catholic Church on the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Lobster Cove Road.

The inflow and infiltration (I & I) and smoke testing done in 2007, led to the identification of extraneous water sources, with the most significant stemming from the Atlantic Avenue area.

"Services are old and so are the joints. We have to get a handle on what we are up against before we can chart a course of action," said Higgins.

It would be helpful to complete the video work this fall - or spring.

If the district does not address these issues, it will tax the system.

"We have extraneous water getting in that is not intended to be treated. If we don't address it in the sewer system, and we pump it, we have to treat it," Higgins said.

"Now you are looking at more capacity at the plant, building a bigger plant - where are you going to get the biggest bang for your buck? I would rather fix the problems and extend the life of this plant."

Homeowners, said Higgins, have to share some of the burden - it is their line, it is part of maintaining their septic systems.

There are 20 miles of sewer line in Boothbay Harbor and almost another 20 from the main to the house.

"People are not going to be happy, but the type of repair we decide on may be a 50-60 year repair, we will make it as easy as possible for people, but we have to take care of the infrastructure," Higgins said.

Residents can be certain that whatever course of action the district decides on, regarding the Atlantic Avenue water issue, they will receive notification by mail.

Other Repair Work

At the footbridge station, the district uncovered an unknown problem. Last month, while the district was addressing a plug, they discovered one of the pumps and the discharge piping would have to be replaced. Work at this station will be completed shortly. Higgins anticipates it will take one day or less.

A new control panel is being installed in the Spruce Point station. The old station, right near the salt water pool, has been camouflaged with spruce trees that conceal, but permit access if and when it is necessary.